Rising in the global pecking order, Chinese universities hold their own against the best

Rising in the global pecking order, Chinese universities hold their own against the best

Given China's emergence as an economic powerhouse, learning its official language Mandarin is a big attraction for Indian students.

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Shravya Jain

November 30, 1999

ISSUE DATE: December 17, 2012

UPDATED: December 11, 2012 12:26 IST

Students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

A new import-export activity between China and India is gaining momentum. China imports students fresh out of school from India and exports them as professional graduates. Disheartened by difficult and expensive options in the US and the UK, many students are turning to China and Hong Kong for higher education. Sceptical about the reputation of the universities there? Don't be.

QS ranks the University of Hong Kong (HKU) at 23 in its world university rankings for 2012-even above Singapore's prestigious NUS. The universities ranked above HKU are mostly based in either the US, Canada or the UK. In rankings within Asia, universities from China and Hong Kong such as Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Peking University and Tsinghua University dominate the top 20 spots. Paris-based Sandrine Belloc views this as a surprising development. Her human resource consulting firm, Emerging, conducts global employability surveys every year and the 2012 survey shows that the reputation of China's universities has risen substantially. For example, Peking University has climbed to 11th rank from 109th in just a year. "Their sudden arrival means that recruiters worldwide are reactive to the reputation of China as a whole," she says, while acknowledging the role of the universities, which are active in establishing links with foreign universities. Official government statistics state that the number of international students in Chinese universities increases by 20 per cent annually.

Rahul Choudaha of World Education Services says China offers a good mix of cost, quality and proximity to Indian students. "The aura of some of the globally ranked institutions such as Peking University and Chinese University of Hong Kong has also contributed in improving the perception of quality education in China," he adds. World Education Services is a New York-based non-profit organisation that specialises in international education and research.

Given China's emergence as an economic powerhouse, learning its official language Mandarin is a big attraction for Indian students. "During our daily interactions with these students, some indicate that a growing economy is one of the attractions that brought them to study at CUHK," says a spokesperson of the university.

Twenty-year-old Sonali Verma, studying a combined course of Bachelor of Business Administration and Chinese language at Beijing Foreign Studies University on the outskirts of Beijing, expresses similar views. "I reckon my proficiency in Chinese will be an added advantage as the world's second largest economy still runs mostly on Mandarin and interacts with the rest of the world in it," she says. It stands to reason. Only last year, Bloomberg Rankings listed Mandarin as the top language worldwide for business utility, other than English. "It gives great insight into the Chinese culture too," Verma adds.

The Chinese consist of 56 different ethnicities-each with different customs. What is common to all is the extreme discipline followed by them. Punctuality is sacrosanct and even a minute's delay is frowned upon. Living under a different form of governance is definitely a unique experience. "Living and interacting with local Chinese and immersing yourself in Chinese society will provide you with a new way of visualising the world. It will give you the kind of insight that just doesn't come from textbooks," mentions the China's University and Colleges Admission System (CUCAS) website, in a blog titled "5 Reasons to Study in China". Chinese festivals such as the famous spring festival and the celebrations during the dragon boat festival are worth attending too.

Foreign students from Beijing at Tianjen Medical University Great Wall of China's badaling section.

Currently, MBBS is the most popular course as a limited number of seats and intense competition have made students look for options outside India. The number of Indian students pursuing MBBS degrees in China and Hong Kong has grown to an estimated 8,000-10,000. Medical education was first opened to Indian students by four universities in 2004. Since then more than 50 universities that offer the course in the English language have been listed by the Medical Council of India. The number of students has only been rising as the tuition fees turn out cheaper than many private medical colleges in India. Courses in engineering and business education are becoming popular as well.

"The amount of research that comes out of universities here is pretty impressive," emphasises Avni Jain, a second-year student at HKU studying civil engineering. This, she says, is reflected in the comprehensive course structure that China offers. Studying in China had not been the first option for Jain, who was hoping for admission in either the US or Singapore. "But now I would recommend this place to my friends," she says. Between China and Hong Kong, she says Hong Kong is the better option. "This place is more international and doesn't have too many people from the same culture," she says over the phone, excusing herself for a minute as she comes out of the university's "excellent library with five huge floors".

It costs about $2,000-$4,000 (Rs 100,000-Rs 200,000) annually to study in China while studying in the UK costs around $10,000 (Rs 549,470), estimates the official CUCAS online portal for international students applying to China's universities.

Financial aid is easier to obtain as well. The Chinese government and colleges offer several scholarships for international students. Companies such as Huawei offer aid as part of corporate social responsibility. Started last year, 10 Huawei Maitree scholarships are offered each year to Indians who have got admission in a Chinese university. A sum of Rs 5 lakh is provided each year to take care of tuition and living costs and the scholarship is renewed if the student scores above 80 per cent each year. Sonali Verma is one such beneficiary. "I think the scholarships really help students get good degrees," she says.

Adjusting to the country is not as easy as adjusting to the US or the UK, where English is the main language. Verma recounts her initial days, when she thought she would not last. "It's a huge change from home, in terms of the food and culture," she says. "But once you get a grip on the language, it is like living in any foreign country with first-world amenities."

Celebrations are organised by students during Indian festivals such as Diwali and Holi. "Chinese students also join in and become a part of the celebrations. It feels really good," says Jain, who proudly claims she has not missed a single such event this year.

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